Polymeric foam material for shock pads in artificial grass systems

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a shock pad for artificial turf systems, wherein said shock pad comprises low density expanded polyethylene (EPE). An object of the present disclosure is to provide a shock pad providing improved shock absorption and/or energy restitution characteristics to artificial turf systems. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide artificial turf systems having improved shock absorption and/or energy restitution characteristics, especially over a prolonged period of time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shock pad for artificial turf systems, wherein said shock pad comprises low density expanded polyethylene particle foam (EPE). 
     
     
         2 . The shock pad for artificial turf systems according to  claim 1 , wherein said low density of expanded polyethylene (EPE) ranges from 10-100 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         3 . The shock pad for artificial turf systems according to  claim 2 , wherein said low density of expanded polyethylene (EPE) ranges from 15-80 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         4 . The shock pad for artificial turf systems according to  claim 1 , wherein said low density expanded polyethylene EPE is made of a blend, on a polymer level, comprising 30-80% by weight of low density polyethylene and 20-70% by weight of high density polyethylene, based on the weight of low density expanded polyethylene EPE. 
     
     
         5 . The shock pad for artificial turf systems according to  claim 4 , wherein said shock pad further comprises 0-30% by weight of one or more polyolefins, wherein the total sum of components amounts to 100%. 
     
     
         6 . The shock pad for artificial turf systems according to  claim 5 , wherein said polyolefins is a mechanical mix of several particle foams comprising 5-95% by weight of a polypropylene particle foam and 95-5% by weight of a polyethylene particle foam, based on the total weight of said mix, whereby the sum of the individual quantities together amounts to 100%. 
     
     
         7 . The shock pad for artificial turf systems according to  claim 1 , wherein said shockpad comprises of a mix of particle foams comprising at least one of EPP, EPS, EPE, ETPU, EPET, EPBAT, EPLA, EPCL, EPHBH, EPHA, EPLA/PBTA blends, EPVC and EPE/PS blend, said mix comprises 5-95% by weight of EPE and 95-5% by weight of a second type of particle foam chosen from said group of particle foams, the second type is different from EPE, whereby the sum of the individual quantities together amounts to 100%. 
     
     
         8 . The shock pad for artificial turf systems according to  claim 1 , wherein said shock pad comprises of a mix of particle foams comprising at least one of EPP, EPS, EPE, ETPU, EPET, EPBAT, EPLA, EPCL, EPHBH, EPHA, EPLA/PBTA blends, EPVC and EPE/PS blend, comprising 5-95% by weight of EPE, 95-5% by weight of a second type of particle foam and 20-50% by weight of a third type of particle foam that is different from EPE and the second type, all types are chosen from said group of particle foams, whereby the sum of the individual quantities together amounts to 100%. 
     
     
         9 . An artificial turf system comprising at least a shock pad according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A playground system comprising at least a shock pad according to  claim 1 .